the Power of A6

Tucked away on the eastern edge of the Old Mill District in Bend is a one-of-a-kind art gallery, working print studio, and classroom known to those who love it as A6.

Founded in 2007 by master printmaker and experienced art educator, Pat Clark, Atelier 6000 has grown over the past seven years into Central Oregon’s only publicly accessible printmaking and book arts studio.

“I just planned to retire when I moved to Bend 10 years ago,” Clark admitted.

But her creative life force had other ideas. Not one to sit idly by, she taught classes at the Art Station, served on the board of Arts Central, and soon realized that Central Oregon needed a full-time printmaking space.

“Printmaking is its own special niche in the art world, just like salsa and ballet are in the world of dance. It is a finite interest,” she explained.

Bill Smith of the Old Mill District agreed to build out a space for Clark, and with the help of the community and the skill and labor of local artists, A6 opened its doors as a member’s studio. Today the studio operates as a nonprofit.

A6 engages artists, teachers, students, and the greater community with workshops, art talks, critiques, and exhibits. As Clark sees it, A6 is a gift to the community.

“People can partake in both art appreciation and also create it themselves,” she said.

Local artist Barbara Hudin, who just had a solo exhibit at A6 of original prints titled “Beautiful Math,” has been involved with A6 since its founding.

“A6 provides a sense of community as well as an educational experience for emerging and professional artists,” Hudin said. “The workshops are extremely diverse and reasonably priced. I go to A6 not only to print, but to share ideas with other artists and for the wonderful, varied — even educational — exhibits. I have made lasting friendships as a result of my involvement.”

Educational Outreach

In 2014, A6 expanded its outreach to the community with two new educational programs for area schools. Tumbleweed Press is their new arts education program for middle and high school students offered during school breaks. Students to A6 invites Central Oregon teachers to bring their students to the studio to view and interact with the two educational exhibits they offer each year. A6 provides curriculum guides to the teachers.

This past February the clacking of vintage typewriters filled the studio during “The Typewriter Returns” exhibit. Students were introduced to a host of vintage typewriters, on which they were encouraged to engage in a creative writing exercise. They also viewed contemporary prints by Carol Wax and Ben Rosenberg of antique typewriters and learned about two printmaking processes.

“I like these typewriters better than my computer,” offered one Cascades Academy fifth-grader who was enthralled by the display.

Community Connections

But the typewriter exhibit is only one facet to the community focus of A6.

“An unprecedented educational opportunity is planned for this coming fall, “ said Dawn Boone, executive director of the nonprofit.

A community-wide collaborative effort, entitled ‘Edward Curtis: Shadow Catcher,” is in the works. A local collection of more than 50 original photogravure prints by Edward Curtis, the famed photographer who documented Native American tribes in the early 1890s, will be on display and for sale at A6 during September and October.

A multitude of activities and programs are planned around the exhibit, involving COCC, the High Desert Museum, Deschutes Public Library System, the Tower Theatre, Bend Film, and the Museum at Warm Springs.

Artists and Printers

Julie Winter, event coordinator at A6, said she loves seeing students get excited about the printmaking process and art in general.

“I hope to keep growing the education piece,” she said. “I see art as another avenue for students to connect and to know who they are.”

Carolyn Platt, longtime art student, teacher and instructor at Central Oregon Community College, appreciates the talents of the A6 staff.

“(They are) very generous, supportive and encouraging,” she said. “They seem to be able to individually address people by critiquing at the place where they are in their development. They are a shot in the arm for art in Central Oregon.”

A6 is constantly on the move with exhibits and educational opportunities for the community to enjoy and experience. This month A6 is hosting “Myths and Legends,” the International Biennial Artist Books Exhibit, showcasing handmade artist books — very different from traditional books — by several artists from around the world.

May will feature a retrospective, “Clark at 80,” honoring A6’s founder as she approaches her 80th year. The exhibit presents drawings, prints, paintings and artist books from recent work and reaches back to Clark’s years teaching at California State University-Long Beach.

Ultimately, A6 is about the artists and the artwork — a printmaker’s paradise. The outreach, the exhibits, the educational elements all work in tandem to make A6 what it is. To artist Helen Loeffler, A6 is all of that and more.

“A6 is my chance to grab my art with both hands and hang on,” Loeffler said. “It pulls me forward into a more satisfying, reliable process by providing the perfect place to practice. The studio is cool and quiet, stocked with all the wonderful magical tools necessary for uninterrupted creativity.”